Mail-box



PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

H. G. LEFFINGWELL. v

MAIL B0X. APPLIOATION FILEDv MAY 15. 1903.'l

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No mmm..

- PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

H. G. LBPHNGWBLL.

MAIL BOX..

APPLIOATIGN FILED MAY 15. 190s.

A2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No MODEL A TTOHNE YS.

THE umms warms co, Priora-Uma. wAsmNoToN. u. u.

45 Y cent to the door 12, and through this opening UNITED STATES Patented February 2, 1904.

f PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARDv Gr. LEFFINGWELL, OF SEVERY, KANSAS.

MAIL-BX.

SPECIFIQATIQN forming part' or Lettersfrate't No. 751,s1oaatea February 2, 1904.-

AApplication filed May 1903. g

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HOWARD G. LEEFING- WELL, a citizen of the United States, and a j pecially for rural free-delivery routes; and it comprises means for automatically indicating to the box-,owner that mail has been deposited therein by the postman and for-automatically.- indicating to the postman that mail has been of the disk. Said arm 17 is weighted and has deposited for collection.

The invention resldes 1n certain novel features of construction, which will be fully pointed outhereinafter.

This specification is an exact description of two forms of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention, showing the box with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, A'showing the box with the semaphore thrown to indicate that mail has been delivered into the box. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the parts in the position which they assume when mail has been deposited. for collection. Fig; 4 is a sectional plan view' of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation with parts broken away, showingfa modification of the invention. i

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the box 10 is here shown as mounted on a supporting-post .11..

Said box is provided at one end with a door 12, to which a lock of the usual or an'y desired character is to be tted. The door 12 is hinged on a vertical axis on one of its side edges and it carries at its inner side a projecting lug 14, terminating ina shoulder 14EL and a hook 14h. The box has an opening 10a in its side adjathe said hook 14b projects when the door is closed. Mounted outside of the box to swing around an axis 15 is a disk 16, having a notch Y Serial No. 157,253. (No model.)

16aV in its periphery.. This disk is juxtaposed -to the opening 10, so that the notch may be moved opposite the/opening, and thenl when the hook 14b is projected through the opening and notch the disk 16 may be turned to move the notch 16 away from the hook and engage the unnotched part of the disk with the hook,

thus locking the door in closed position, as

shown in Fig. 2. An arm 17 is loose on the axis 15, but is connected to the disk 16 by means of two pins 16b on the disk. These pins lie one on each side of the arm 17 and allow lthe arm a slight movement independently a connection 18 with a semaphore or other signal 19, which is mounted on an extension 118L of the post 11.

The arm 17 swings alongside of the box 10 between said box and the post 11 and is held in the raised position (indicated bythe dotted l lines in Fig. 1) by means of a pin 20. This pin is mounted in a suitable bracket 21, lo-

cated within the box, and a spring 22 is em ployed to press the pin outward into normal or active position. Fulcrumed on the pin20, as best shown in Fig. 4, is a lever 23, which is also in engagement with a cotter 24, passed through the pin 20. On the inner wall of the case 10 is formed or fastened a bead25, this beadforming the fulcrum of the lever under certain operations, which will be hereinafter fully set forth. The forward end of the lever 23 lies just adjacent to the opening 10 in position to be struck by the shoulder 14 when the door 12 is moved vinto closed position. This, however, doesnot take place unless the long or front arm of the lever is raised, as in Fig. 1. The short or rear arm of the lever is connected with a link 26,whichextends downward to and is connected with a platform 27, which serves to receive the mail. This platform lies in the bottom of the box and is in the form of a lever, the fulcrum of which is the pin 28, the long arm of the lever constituting the platform proper for receiving the mail and the short arm being weighted, as indicated at 29, so thatewhen the platform is light it is raised ,above the bottom of the box and the long .armof the lever 234 is dropped from the position shown in Fig. 1. `When, however, mail is deposited on the platform, the weight of the mail will throw theplatforni downward, as in Fig. 1, and this will throw upward the long arm of the lever 23.

The platform is provided on its under side with a stop 30, and under the platform is ar-` ranged a rod 31, having an arm 32 and a second arm 33 attached thereto, these arms ex tending at approximately right angles and the first-named arm serving to bear on the bottom of the box to limit the rocking movement of the rod 31 in one direction, while the other arm, 33, is arranged to turn under the platform and against the projection 30 to hold the platform raised, as in Fig. 3, notwithstanding that mail may be deposited thereon. The rod 31 projects outside of the box 10 and carries an arm 34, to which a pointer or other signal 35 is attached. The arm 34 and the attached parts may assume, therefore, either the position shown in Fig. 1 or that shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the apparatus may be traced as follows: Assuming that there is no mail in the box and that the door is closed, the hook 14b will be projected through the opening 1()u and engaged slightly with the disk 16, this engagement being sufficient, nevertheless, to hold the door 12 closed. The arm 17 will be raised and held by the pin 20, and the semaphore 19 will be in vertical position. Should the postman arrive with the mail, opening the door 12 and placing the mail on the platform 27, this movement will lower the platform and throw up the forward or long arm of the lever 23. The mail having been deposited, upon the closing of the door 12 the lever 23 is rocked around the pin 24, which then becomes the temporary fulcrum of the lever. This rocking of the lever draws back the pin 20, and the arm 17, deprived of its support, falls to the position shown in Fig. 2. This throws the semaphore 19 into horizontal position, and the owner of the box is thereby advised that mail has been deposited. When this mail is to be taken from the box by the owner, it is necessary first to raise the arm 17. As the arm moves it turns the disk 16 until the notch 16a is opposite the hook 14h, whereupon the door 12 is released. The slight independent movement allowed the parts 16 and 17 enables the arm 16 to be lifted up clear above the pin 2O before the door is released, so as to be sure that the arm 17 will be above the pin when the pin is returned to its projected or active position, it being understood that when the door was previously closed by the postman the front end of the lever 23 was held pressed tightly against the side of the box, and thus the pin 2O was held back into active position. The door 12 being opened, the owner of the box may remove the mail, and upon raising the arm 17 slightly above the pin 2O the disk 16 will be placed with its notch 16a fully opposite the opening 10, and then the door may be moved completely closed with its hook 14" projected through `the opening. When this has been done, by allowing the arm 17 to drop on the pin 2O the disk 16 will be suiiiciently rengaged with the hook 14b to hold the door closed. vIf mail is to be placed in the box for collection, the arm 34 should be raised to vertical position, so that the arm 33 will then lie under the tilting platform, and the weight of the mail will not, therefore, throw down the platform sufficiently to throw up the end of the lever 23. Therefore mail may be deposited by the owner ofthe box for collection by the postman without throwing the semaphore 19 into horizontal position and without causing the arm 17 to drop from its horizontal position. shown in Fig. 3. The postman arrives to collect the mail, and upon removing it from the platform the platform will rise sufliciently to bring the projection 30 clear of the arm 33, and the arm 34 Will then fall by gravity, taking with it the arm 33. This leaves the parts in the position first described-viz., that in which they are ready for the reception of mail from the postman.

It will be seen that excepting the insertion and removal of the mail the operation of the box is entirely automatic and that signals are provided which show necessarily the condition of the box and which enable persons at coinparatively great distances to know whether it is necessary to approach the box.

The modification of my invention shown in Fig. 5 embodies the same principle as that above described, viz: When mail is deposited in the box and the door closed, asignal is automatically raised `to indicate that the box contains the mail. Referring to this figure, the box 36 is provided with a door 37, hinged as indicated and having a projection 38 at its inner side. 39 indicates the tilting counterbalanced platform similar to the platform 27 and 40 indicates a connection between said platform and a link 41, having at its forward end a lateral bend 41IL and having its rear or inner end connected to an arm 42, fastened to arock-shaft 43, suitably mounted in the box 36 and carrying outside of the box an arm 44,\to which is fastened a suitable signal 45.

As the door 37 is opened and mail is deposited on the platform 39 the link 41 will fall to the position'indicated by the broken lines, and then when the door 37 is returned its projection 38 engages the end 41LL of the link 41 and throws the link, with the arm 42, rearward in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. This will impart a rocking movement to the shaft 43 and raise the signal 45. If no mail is deposited in the box, the closing of the door 37 will not affect the signal, since the link 41 will not then be lowered.

Various changes in the form, proportions,

This action of theparts 34 and 33 is sorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled :to all such variations as may lie within the intent of my claims. f

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentp 1. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure therefor, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted, to receive and be actuated by the mail, a signal, and mechanism connecting the signal and said movable member, said mechanism including a part actuated by the door to throw the signal.-

2. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to receive and be actuated by the mail, a signal, means for actuating vthe signal, said' means being operated from the closure, and a connection between said actuating means and the movable member, for the r purpose kspecied.

3. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure therefor, a signal,a loaded member having connection with the signal, a retaining device for the loaded member, said device'being actuated from the closure, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be engaged by the mail, and a connection between lthe movable member and the retaining device of the loaded member.

4C. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure, a signal, a loaded member connected with the signal, aretaining-pin for the loaded member, a lever for actuating the pin, said lever being operated from the closure,a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be engaged by the mail, and a connection between said movable member and the lever,

for the purpose specified.

5. A mail-box, comprising a box proper a closure, a signal, a loaded member connected with the signal, a retaining-pin for the loaded member, a lever for actuating the pin, said lever being operated fromthe closure, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be engaged by the mail, a connection between said movable member and thelever, for the purpose speciied, the closure having a hook thereon, and a locking device coacting with the hook and in connection with the said loaded member.

6. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure therefor, a si gnal, a loaded member having connection with the signal, a retaining device for the loaded member, said device being actuated from the closure, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be engaged by the mail, a connection between the` i and minor details of my invention may be regagedby the mail, a connection between the movable member and the retaining device of 6o the loaded member, ahook on the closure, and an locking device ucoacting with the hook and having connection with the said loaded'member:

7. Amail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure, a hook on the closure, a locking de- .vice coacting with the hook, a weighted arm `mounted to swing and having connection with the locking device, a signal connected with said weighted arrn,a retaining-pin for the Weighted arm, a lever in connection with the retainingpin, said lever being` actuated from the closure,for the purpose specified, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be engaged by the mail, and a connection between the movable member and the lever.

8. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a

closure therefor, a signal, a loaded member having connection with the signal, a retaining device for the loaded member, said device being actuated from the closure, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be engaged by the mail, a connection between the movable member and the retaining device of the loaded member, a part capable of adjustmentto limit the movement of the said movable member, and a signal in connection with said part. 9. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure therefor, a signal, a loaded member having connection with the signal, a' retaining device for the loaded member, said device being actuated from the closure, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be enmovable member and the retaining device of 95 the loaded member, a rock-shaft mounted under the movable member, an armattached to the rock-shaft and adapted to engage the said movable member when in one position, and a signal in connectionA with the rock-shaft. l 10. A mail-box, comprising a box proper, a closure therefor, a signal, a loaded member having connection with the signal, a retaining device for the loaded member, said device being actuated from the closure, a movable member mounted in the box and adapted to be engaged by the mail, a connection between the movablemember and the retaining device of theV loaded member, and means for limiting the movement of the said movable member, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOWARD G. LEFFINGVVELL.

R. W. BURKE,

Witnesses:

EARL D. JONES.

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